Archive of ‘Bread’ category

Now I love zucchini, I love the word zucchini, I make zucchini pasta, I roast it, I make zucchini “pizza” and I even make zucchini hummus (must share this recipe – it is amazing!)… And found in Danielle Walker’s “Against all Grain” is a recipe for gluten-free zucchini bread. Time to bake!

Ingredients

1 cup shredded zucchini

1½ cups blanched almond flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon nutmeg

3 eggs, beaten

¼ cup honey

1 ripe banana

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf tin and place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom –or make your life easier and use a silicon loaf tin.

Place the eggs, honey and banana in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium for 1 minute, until frothy and fully combined. Add zucchini and beat again to incorporate, about 15 seconds.

With the mixer running, slowly add the dry ingredients until they are all incorporated.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan or a 12-cup muffin pan lined with paper cups and fill each cup ¾ full.

Bake the loaf for 40 minutes until the middle is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake the muffins for 30 to 35 minutes.

I ate this with a beautiful berry jam and it was very very tasty. However, not a bread that you would eat with eggs and bacon as is more sweet than savoury, and does not quite fit the romantic toast with melting butter vision that I have for my life. However, always good to start your day with some added greens!

So the quest for the gluten-free chocolate cupcake in Johannesburg has its first nomination. Whilst at Belle’s Patisserie in the Bluebird Centre for a work function, I discovered the “Skinny Menu” with gluten-free, sugar free and vegetarian options. So what’s gluten-free on the menu? Red Velvet Cupcake, Fran’s Cheesecake, Hemp Brownie and Paleo Poppie Loaf. In the interests of fair investigation I tried the cupcake (although they had chocolate not red velvet), the cheesecake and the brownie. Tough job but someone had to do it. Let’s be clear though, I did share. They also have savoury options (in fact, most of the menu is gluten-free) from crustless quiche to cauliflower wraps – see the full Skinny Menu here.

The cupcakes are made from coconut flour and are very moist… but I am I think still getting used to eating coconut flour. Or maybe the icing threw me off slightly – is sugar free and I think made from coconut cream which gives it a different taste and texture… rich but different. So I give this cupcake a 7/10. Is good but not decadent. You don’t feel like you have to run round the block after eating, which I suppose is the reason behind creating a Skinny Menu in the first place. But nice to know it’s there when you just feel the need to cheat but be skinny at the same time!

Belle’s Patisserie also has gluten-free Paleo bread which they serve for breakfast as part of their Skinny Menu. I tried this with some of the snacks they had provided for our event and was very very moreish!

So moreish in fact I bought a loaf. Unfortunately I cannot eat large quantities of this as the nut butter can get to me (main ingredients almond nut butter and egg yolks; also made with almond milk, coconut flour, honey, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds). But if you do not have issues with eggs or nut butters then this is the bread for you! You need to phone ahead and order if you want to buy a loaf as is very popular.